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Look, this post is gonna be boring as fuck — me visiting yet another spot in Europe that’s kinda cool but not mind-blowing. No fresh info, just a few obvious facts. The photos do look nice though, and they’ve got that warm summer vibe that’s gone until next season. So just scroll through if you already miss sunny days.
First obvious fact: Montenegro is a tiny state with a population just over 620k. Almost one third of that population lives in the capital Podgorica, which isn’t the nicest place in the country by any measure, but it’s the only real city they’ve got.
Kotor, on the other hand, is a charming little town you’d probably want to explore for its historical architecture and the stunning scenery of the surrounding bay.
Seaside Budva has less architecture and scenery, but feels livelier — with hipsterish shops, specialty coffee spots, long sandy beaches, and tourist traps everywhere.
I’d definitely put the local seaside experience among the best in Europe. I rarely feel like getting into the water, but I couldn’t resist the blue of the Adriatic Sea here.
The best part of Montenegro are the mountains — which is kinda obvious, since the country’s very name points to them rather than the seaside or anything else.
These mountain landscapes are strikingly diverse in shapes and colors — as if they were borrowed from different parts of the world and reassembled in one place.
They may not be the tallest mountains on the continent, with Bobotov Kuk peaking just over 2,500 meters, but packed so densely they still take your breath away.
This also makes Montenegro’s mountains easy to reach by car. So even though the country isn’t even an EU member, you’ll see plenty of Polish, German, Czech, and other European license plates winding along the curvy mountain slopes.
